Chapter 12 - Julian Followed Her to My Door
Cameron did not come to the storage facility.
Nadia insisted that any meeting involving Chloe, Noah, and a disputed paternity case happen somewhere public or through counsel.
Cameron agreed immediately.
That alone separated him from Julian in my mind.
He did not demand access.
He did not show up uninvited.
He did not tell anyone what they owed him.
He simply sent Chloe the filing information and the name of his attorney.
By noon, we had copied Eleanor's storage records and moved the originals to Marcus's secure archive.
The USB was duplicated twice.
One copy went into the estate file.
One went to Nadia.
The original stayed with Marcus.
We left Westbridge in separate cars.
Chloe asked to return to the Queens house because she did not feel safe going back to the hotel alone.
I almost said no.
Then I looked at Noah.
"One afternoon," I said.
"After that, you need your own place."
"I understand."
She sounded relieved.
We reached the house at 1:18 p.m.
A gray SUV was parked across the street.
My stomach tightened immediately.
Julian stepped out before I could turn into the driveway.
Chloe whispered something I could not hear.
"Stay in the car," I said.
Nadia, who was driving behind us, pulled over and got out first.
Julian walked toward the curb.
He looked exhausted.
The perfect suit was gone.
He wore dark jeans, an open-collar shirt, and the same luxury watch.
"Chloe."
She stayed inside my car.
Nadia stepped between him and the passenger door.
"You were formally instructed not to enter or approach the property."
"I'm on a public street."
"Then remain there."
Julian looked past her at me.
"You took her to the storage unit."
My skin prickled.
"How do you know where we were?"
He ignored the question.
"What did Mom keep there?"
Nadia's voice became sharper.
"Do not answer that."
Julian laughed.
"Of course."
He looked toward Chloe again.
"Get out of the car."
She rolled down the window two inches.
"No."
His face changed.
"We need to talk."
"We did."
"Not with Elena feeding you garbage."
"Elena didn't tell me Noah might be Cameron's."
The words hit him physically.
He went still.
Then he glanced at me.
"You showed her the photograph."
"Your mother kept it."
"My mother had no right to investigate Chloe."
"You used Eleanor's money to fund your life with Chloe."
"That does not give you permission to destroy my family."
Chloe opened the car door.
I caught her arm.
"You don't have to get out."
"I want to."
She stepped onto the curb with Noah's carrier in her hand.
Julian moved toward her.
Nadia raised one hand.
"Stay back."
He stopped.
Chloe looked him directly in the eyes.
"Cameron filed for a paternity test."
Julian's face turned white.
"No."
"Yes."
"You're not doing it."
"You don't get to decide."
"I'm Noah's father."
"Then the test will say that."
His voice rose.
"I said no."
A neighbor across the street opened her front door.
Julian noticed and lowered his voice.
"Chloe, think about what you're doing."
"I am."
"Cameron wants to take him from you."
"His petition asks to establish parentage, not custody."
Julian glared at Nadia.
"You coached her."
"I do not represent Chloe."
"Then who does?"
"Not your concern."
He laughed again.
"Everybody suddenly has lawyers."
I almost said that people needed lawyers when he entered rooms.
I stopped myself.
Julian reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
"Chloe, I paid your rent for two years."
She blinked.
"With whose money?"
The question stunned him.
"What?"
"Was it yours?"
He looked at me.
"You turned her against me."
Chloe stepped forward.
"Was it yours?"
"Of course it was."
"The condo payments came out of Eleanor's account."
"Temporarily."
"You told me it was company housing."
"It became company housing."
"You told me the bridge loan was guaranteed by your mother."
"She agreed to invest."
"She said she didn't sign it."
Julian's voice dropped.
"You watched her video."
Nobody answered.
His eyes moved between us.
That was the first time I realized he knew the video existed.
"How do you know about the video?" I asked.
He froze.
Nadia looked at me sharply.
"Julian?"
He recovered too late.
"Mom told me she was recording things."
"When?"
"Months ago."
"You said you hadn't spoken to her."
He clenched his jaw.
"I said I hadn't spoken to her recently."
"At the airport you acted like you didn't even know she was dead."
"Because I didn't."
"But you knew she was documenting you."
"Everyone knew Mom liked records."
Chloe looked from him to me.
"What video?"
I did not answer.
Julian did.
"A pathetic little performance where my mother blames me for her life and turns Elena into a saint."
My stomach dropped.
He had seen it.
Maybe not the exact file.
But enough to know what it contained.
Marcus had said he did not think Julian knew.
We had been wrong.
"Who showed it to you?" I asked.
Julian smiled faintly.
"You really think Marcus controls everything?"
Nadia stepped closer.
"Who gave you estate materials?"
"Ask your perfect lawyer."
He turned toward Chloe.
"Come with me."
She shook her head.
"No."
"You have no money."
"I'll figure it out."
"Your credit cards are on my account."
"Cancel them."
"Your phone is on my plan."
"I'll buy another one."
"Your hotel is on my card."
"Then I'll leave the hotel."
The more she answered, the more frantic he became.
"You cannot raise a newborn alone."
Chloe looked at me for half a second.
Then she looked back at him.
"Elena did something harder for three years."
Julian's face changed completely.
"Do not compare yourself to her."
"I'm not."
"Good."
"I'm comparing you to yourself."
That silenced him.
A black sedan pulled up behind Nadia's car.
For one uneasy second, I thought Julian had brought someone.
A man in his thirties stepped out wearing a dark coat and carrying a slim folder.
Chloe stopped breathing.
"Cameron."
Julian turned.
The man froze when he saw him.
"I wasn't told he'd be here."
Nadia answered.
"Neither were we."
Cameron stayed beside his car.
He did not approach Chloe.
He looked at Noah's carrier, and something in his face collapsed.
Julian saw it.
"Get out of here."
Cameron looked at him.
"I came to give Chloe a copy of the filing."
"You filed behind my back."
"This isn't about you."
Julian laughed.
"It's my son."
Cameron's jaw tightened.
"Maybe."
The single word detonated the moment.
Julian lunged one step forward.
Nadia shouted his name.
I pulled Chloe and the carrier toward the porch.
Cameron raised both hands and stepped back instead of meeting him.
A patrol car turned onto the block almost at the same moment.
The officers had been asked to drive by after the overnight trespass report.
Julian saw the cruiser and stopped.
His fists unclenched.
The officers parked.
One recognized him from the earlier interview.
"Mr. Vance, we need you to keep your distance from this property."
Julian pointed at Cameron.
"He is trying to steal my child."
"That's a family court matter."
"He shouldn't be here."
"Neither should you."
Julian looked around and realized every direction had closed.
Then his phone rang.
He answered angrily.
"What?"
We could not hear the voice on the other end.
We saw the effect.
The color drained from Julian's face.
"No."
He turned away.
"You can't freeze the account."
Another pause.
"The distribution deal closes next month."
He listened.
"I said I will cure it Friday."
His hand began to shake.
"What receiver?"
Brandon's voice must have been on the other end because Julian said his name twice.
Then he swore and lowered the phone.
Nobody spoke.
Julian stared at the pavement.
Chloe asked quietly, "What happened?"
He looked up.
For once, there was no lie ready.
"Dominion froze Northstar's operating account."
Cameron looked away.
Julian continued as if he could barely force out the words.
"They're seeking a receiver."
Chloe's face tightened.
"What does that mean?"
Nadia answered.
"It means the lender may take control of the company's assets."
Julian looked at me.
Every trace of superiority from the airport was gone.
"Elena."
I knew what he was about to ask.
"No."
"You don't understand."
"No."
"If they take Northstar, I can't repay Mom's trust."
That was the point he finally understood Eleanor's condition.
If he could not return the unauthorized money within ninety days, he would lose his fifty-percent share.
And if Northstar's accounts were frozen, the money he needed to save his inheritance was trapped inside the company he had used his mother's money to build.
Julian stared at me as the trap closed from both sides.
Then Cameron spoke quietly from beside his car.
"There's something else you should know before the paternity test."
Julian turned toward him.
Cameron's face was pale.
"Chloe didn't call me after the ultrasound just because she was scared."
Chloe's eyes widened.
"Cameron, don't."
He looked at her.
"He deserves to know what you told me."
Julian took one step closer.
"Told you what?"
May you like
Cameron looked directly at him.
"She told me the dates made me more likely to be Noah's father than you."
